New West End apartments have formal opening

The Boston Redevelopment Authority’s new director, John Palmieri, made his first public outing in Boston today, joining Mayor Thomas M. Menino for the formal opening of Equity Residential’s 104-unit West End luxury apartment building, Vesta.

He told the mayor that at the pace he’s attending meetings and events, he will soon exceed the number he attended during his years in Providence, Charlotte, N.C., and Hartford combined.

Vesta is the first of five new buildings Equity Residential is adding to the West End Apartments, formerly known as Charles River Park. The 14-story Vesta, off Blossom Street and along Storrow Drive, will be followed by three three-story Villas, with 12 units each, opening in January, and by Asteria, an 11-story, 170-unit tower that will open in May on Emerson Place.

The redevelopment of Charles River Park, developed by Jerome L. Rappaport Sr. starting in the 1960s and owned for about a decade by Equity Residential, includes expanding the park space by more than 50 percent and adding 660 parking spaces.

Greg White, an Equity Residential vice president, said no more buildings are permitted or contemplated in the immediate future. But, he added, "Equity’s committed to increasing our presence in the city of Boston."

The building was designed by David Manfredi of Elkus Manfredi Architects, of Boston. Interiors of common areas, including halls in two shades of yellow, are the work of Kenneth E. Hurd and Associates.

One- and two-bedroom units, some with priceless views of Boston and Cambridge, are priced at $2,200 to $9,900 a month.

White said 82 of the 104 units in the first building are leased.
(By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe staff)